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So is taking up arms sometimes justifiable for Christians in your view?

Oh, yes, very much so. The Armenians have a long history of doing that, also the Ethiopians. These are areas where Christians still control territories and have often fought to maintain them. The defense through arms of a community and territory may well be a legitimate option, and that was the case in southern Sudan. The government was, in fact, waging a genocidal war, and the result could very likely have been the extermination of the Christian community. That's happened in many other places, such as Central Asia. I think on just-war grounds that can certainly be defended.

What should Western Christians do?

Develop strong relations with the Christian communities in those areas and find out what they need. Also, cultivate relations with Muslims in those countries and elsewhere to raise these questions. But remember that it's much more important for Muslims and Christians to talk locally. Muslims in the Middle East should talk to Christians in the Middle East.

As you look at the spread of extreme Shari'ah law and some of the tensions within Islam, are you hopeful or pessimistic?

If we're talking about the next few decades, I'm pessimistic. The influence of extreme forms of Islam and Shari'ah appear to be growing. Radical sentiment as a whole seems to be on the increase in the Muslim world. It's still a minority, but the people pushing for it are committed, organized, well funded, and have clear goals. The people who are opposed to them are often not well funded, organized, or committed, and they don't have a clear goal. When you have small, committed groups and a fairly amorphous majority group, the small, committed groups can make headway. I see that happening around the world. Regarding the struggle against radical Islam, to the degree that it's a war of ideas, it's a war that so far the radicals are winning.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Paul Marshall recently commented on the Mohammed cartoon controversy at the Weekly Standard, saying Western governments have nothing to apologize for.

Marshall's book, Radical Islam's Rules: The Worldwide Spread of Extreme Shari'a Law is available from Amazon.com and other book retailers.

Freedom House's Center for Religious Freedom has more information on religious freedom around the world as well as further publications on Shari'ah law.

More Christianity Today articles on Shari'ah include:

Afghan Constitution Provides Little Protection for Religion | Nod to freedom of practice is too limited, critics say. (Jan. 15, 2004)

Christian History Corner
Legacy of an Ancient Pact | Why do Christians still chafe under restrictions in some Muslim nations? It all started with Umar. (July 26, 2002)

Where Adultery Means Death | Political and religious leaders clash in Nigeria over the increased use of Islamic law. (May 8, 2002)

Is Islam a religion of peace? | The controversy reveals a struggle for the soul of Islam. (Dec. 28, 2001)

Orphaned and Widowed | Christian families devastated since Shari'ah law adopted (Sept. 3, 2001)

Christians and Muslims at Odds Over Nigerian Constitution | Calls made to limit Shari'ah law in Northern states. (July 12, 2001)

The Shari'ah Threat | Muslim Fundamentalist law troubles Christians and some Muslims. (Feb. 2, 2001)

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February 2006, Vol. 50, No. 2